Catrin: 2 and Wind: 0

[Catrin]

Only a 35 minute ride today due to 18-20 mph winds. With my current skills that is pretty strong! The wind came close to knocking me over twice, but wasn't successful. I decided not to give it a third chance

Great fun though - the first time I've been able to ride when it was really warm and it was fantastic! It just gets better...and better... perhaps it is almost time to think about hitting country roads

[abejita]

Yea for you!!! I have come to realize that I hate the wind more than the cold.

Hubs and I went out for our ride on Saturday. It was like riding in a hurricane. It was actually pretty miserable. I got hit by a trashcan and pushed into the curb and I almost fell over. Our fifty mile ride took an hour longer than usual because it was so windy.

Watching the news that night, we saw that we had 40+mph sustained winds and gusts up to 55+mph!

I just try to keep reminding myself that I will be stronger this summer when all this wind stops!

[PamNY]

Catrin, that's great. I found there was a real learning curve for riding in wind. I still don't like it, but it feels good to be not intimidated.

[tangentgirl]

Nice, Catrin!

[ny biker]

I hate riding in the wind!!! But it does give you a good workout. And makes you appreciate the sunny unwindy days even more.

[marni]

headwinds, like hills, make your butt stronger. The best piece of advice about riding in the headwinds that I ever got was to think narrow- you can get low, but it makes a big difference if you can also ride narrow to cut down on the resistance. That being said, riding in the winds is a mixed pleasure. I did a 45 mile ride yesterday and on the8 miles where I had a tailwind instead of a headwind or quartering headwind/side wind, I was going 25-30 mph while my overall speed for the whole ride was 16. It's a matter of resignation and soldiering on in most cases.

tomorrow it's supposed to be 20-35 with gust stronger. I'm of mixed minds about riding or the gym.

marni

[newtobikesmama]

The wind is very intimidating to me. I went out for a ride in 20 mph winds and haven't gone out in the wind since then...gotta overcome that if I ever want to get out again!

[bikermaze]

Good job. Pretty brave of you to stand that. Almost nothing can stop you now then. :P

[WindingRoad]

Dear Wind,

I hate you so very, very much. Blow all you want but I WILL prevail in the end! You may think it's funny that I always end up behind the girl who is 5 feet tall but Wind, I survived and who's laughing NOW.

WR

PS - That doesn't mean my quads are screaming today though

[OakLeaf]

Woo-hoo! I HATE wind. Props to you for having fun in it!

[chicagogal]

in chicago, riding in the wind, especially this time of the year, is the rule rather than the exception to it. We don't have hills around here, so wind becomes our answer to hill training days. Approach wind and hill climbing in a similar way: spin easyish gears and try to keep your cadence up, spread your weight evenly over the bike with your hips back and your shoulders over your handlebars. In addition, get low and aero and stay lose when riding into the wind.

Staying lose and relaxed and not having a death-grip on the bike is especially important because the gusts of wind will have the tendency to push you off your line. Don't fight it too much. Instead, go with the flow, and let the bike do what it needs to do. When relaxed, you will naturally and easily make the minor adjustments necessary to stay upright and stay the course.

Of course, when I talk about wind I am talking about 20+mph winds with gusts up to 35mph. Anything more than that, I usually avoid!!!

[Catrin]

....

Of course, when I talk about wind I am talking about 20+mph winds with gusts up to 35mph. Anything more than that, I usually avoid!!!

Wow! I know how those 18-20 mph gusts felt like the other day, I can't imagine a gust up to 35! The information is helpful though and will remember it. Part of it may have been due to the upright design of my Trek 7.6 - my LHT has road bars and a very different riding position that might work better with winds. I have to get used to that first

[ColoKate]

Catrin, I have been struggling with wind so this is motivating me to get out there and get past it, thanks!

Also, do you ladies find a specific wind-proof layer is a necessity? I've been comfortable in my current layers except the last few days which have been super gusty - I can feel the wind blow right through everything I'm wearing

[annielynn]

I absolutely despise the wind. It is awful. I would climb the hills and ride in the cold/hot weather than ride in a headwind. AWFUL! Good for you getting out there.